Server content adjusted based on automated report of available client bandwidth

ABSTRACT

An information server computer system may be configured to receive a request for electronic information from a client computer system. In response, a request to the client computer system may be delivered for an automated report of the bandwidth that is available for delivery of the electronic information. The client computer system may provide the automated report in response. In response, the information server computer may select a form of the electronic information which is substantially compatible with the bandwidth specified in the automated report from among multiple forms that are each compatible with a different available bandwidth.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/829,869, entitled “Data Communication Device With IndividualApplication Bandwidth Reporting And Control,” filed Jul. 2, 2010. Theentire content of this application is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

This disclosure relates to the delivery of electronic information overnetwork communication systems, including real time information that mayrequire a bandwidth greater than what is available.

2. Description of Related Art

Client computer systems often seek electronic information frominformation server computer systems over network communication systems,such as the internet.

The bandwidth which is available for the delivery of this electronicinformation to each client computer system may be limited. Further, theavailable bandwidth for each client computer system may be different.This can cause problems in connection with the delivery of certain kindsof electronic information, such as information which must be viewed inreal time, such as streaming multimedia. Dropouts and other types ofproblems can arise.

Some websites attempt to deal with this problem by maintaining differentversions of multimedia content, each configured for a particularbandwidth. Users are then be asked to select which version may beappropriate for their particular bandwidth.

This approach can be problematic. For example, requiring the user toprovide bandwidth information each time the user visits a website canincrease the complexity of the user's experience, slow down the process,and require space on a web page to be dedicated to the various bandwidthchoices. Users may also consider it a nuisance to have to constantly beproviding this information. Users may not even know what bandwidth theircomputer can handle, particularly when an application which seeks datais only of several which are communicating data simultaneously over thesame network connection.

SUMMARY

An information server computer system may include a network interfaceand an electronic data processing system.

The network interface may be configured to communicate with a clientcomputer system over a network communication system.

The electronic data processing system may be configured to receive arequest for electronic information which the network interface hasreceived from the client computer system. In response to the request,the electronic data processing system may be configured to cause thenetwork interface to deliver a request to the client computer system foran automated report of the bandwidth that is available for delivery ofthe electronic information. The electronic data processing system may beconfigured to receive an automated report of the bandwidth that isavailable for delivery of the electronic information which the networkinterface has received from the client computer system. In response tothe automated report, the electronic data processing system may beconfigured to select a form of the electronic information which issubstantially compatible with the bandwidth specified in the automatedreport from among multiple forms that are each compatible with adifferent available bandwidth. The electronic data processing system maybe configured to cause the network interface to deliver the electronicinformation in the selected form to the client computer system.

The requested electronic information may includes image information. Theselection of a form of the electronic information may include selectinga version of the image information that has a resolution that issubstantially compatible with the bandwidth specified in the automatedreport from among multiple versions that are each compatible with adifferent available bandwidth.

The requested electronic information may include a mixture of text andimage information. The selection of a form of the electronic informationmay include selecting a mixture of text and image information that has aratio of text-to-image information that is substantially compatible withthe bandwidth specified in the automated report from among multiplemixtures that are each compatible with a different available bandwidth.

When the bandwidth specified in the automated report is reasonablylikely to result in dropouts or other adverse effects during thedelivery of the electronic information to the client computer system,the selection of a form of the electronic information may includeselecting a form of the electronic information that includes a noticethat delivery of the electronic information may suffer from dropouts orother adverse effects.

The electronic data processing system may be configured to repeatedlycause the network interface to request and receive automated reports ofthe bandwidth that is available for delivery of the electronicinformation. In response to each automated report, the electronic dataprocessing system may be configured to select a form of the electronicinformation which is substantially compatible with the bandwidthspecified in the latest automated report from among multiple forms thatare each compatible with a different available bandwidth, and cause thenetwork interface to deliver the remaining portion of the electronicinformation in the last-selected form to the client computer system.

The request for an automated report may be delivered by the networkinterface to the client computer system in a form which causes therequest not to be communicated to a user of the client communicationsystem though a user interface.

Non-transitory, tangible, computer readable media containing computerprogramming instructions which, when executed by an information servercomputer system having a network interface configured to communicatewith a client computer system over a network communication system and anelectronic data processing system, may cause the electronic dataprocessing system to implement the functions described herein.

A client computer system may include a network interface and anelectronic data processing system.

The network interface may be configured to communicate with aninformation server computer system over a network communication system.

The electronic data processing system may be configured to cause thenetwork interface to deliver a request to the information servercomputer system for electronic information. The electronic dataprocessing system may be configured to receive a request which thenetwork interface has received from the information server computersystem for an automated report of the bandwidth that is available fordelivery of the electronic information. The electronic data processingsystem may be configured to automatically cause the network interface todeliver an automated report of the bandwidth that is available fordelivery of the electronic information without receiving user inputrelating to the content of the automated report following receipt of therequest for the automated report. The electronic data processing systemmay be configured to receive the requested electronic information whichthe network interface has received from the information server computersystem in a form that is substantially compatible with the bandwidthspecified in the automated report.

The client computer system may include an information storage systemconfigured to store information indicative of the bandwidth that isavailable for electronic information requested by the client computersystem to be delivered to the client computer system for each of aplurality of different user applications. The electronic data processingsystem may be is configured to cause the network interface to deliverthe request to the information server computer system for the electronicinformation when requested by one of the applications, and base thebandwidth specified in the automated report on the information in theinformation storage system that is indicative of the available bandwidthfor this one application.

The bandwidth specified in the automated report may be substantiallyless than the bandwidth which the client computer system can handle.

The bandwidth specified in the automated report may be based on abandwidth test of the client computer system which is performed by theclient computer system.

Non-transitory, tangible, computer readable media containing computerprogramming instructions which, when executed by an information servercomputer system having a network interface configured to communicatewith a client computer system over a network communication system and anelectronic data processing system, may cause the electronic dataprocessing system to perform the functions recited herein.

These, as well as other components, steps, features, objects, benefits,and advantages, will now become clear from a review of the followingdetailed description of illustrative embodiments, the accompanyingdrawings, and the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The drawings disclose illustrative embodiments. They do not set forthall embodiments. Other embodiments may be used in addition or instead.Details which may be apparent or unnecessary may be omitted to savespace or for more effective illustration. Conversely, some embodimentsmay be practiced without all of the details which are disclosed. Whenthe same numeral appears in different drawings, it refers to the same orlike components or steps.

FIG. 1 illustrates client communication systems that may seek electronicinformation from an information server computer system over a networkcommunication system.

FIG. 2 illustrates an information server computer system.

FIG. 3 illustrates a client computer system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

Illustrative embodiments are now discussed. Other embodiments may beused in addition or instead. Details which may be apparent orunnecessary may be omitted to save space or for a more effectivepresentation. Conversely, some embodiments may be practiced without allof the details which are disclosed.

FIG. 1 illustrates client communication systems that may seek electronicinformation from an information server computer system over a networkcommunication system. As illustrated in FIG. 1, one or more clientcomputer systems, such as client computer systems 101, 103, and 105, mayseek electronic information from an information server computer system107 over a network communication system 109.

Each client computer system may be of any type. For example, a clientcomputer system may be a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a PDA,and/or part of a cell phone. Each client computer system may includeappropriate computer hardware and software configured to requestelectronic information and to receive and process the electronicinformation in response.

The requested electronic information may be of any type. For example,the requested electronic information may consist of or include one ormore electronic files, such as image and/or text files. The requestedelectronic information may in addition or instead include streaminginformation, such as streaming audio, streaming video, and/or streamingaudio and video. When requesting streaming information, the clientcomputer system may be configured to immediately communicate thereceived streaming information to a user, such as through a displayand/or a sound system.

The electronic information may consist of or include mixtures of imageand text information. For example, the electronic information may be aweb page which contains text and images.

Each client computer system may be able to receive electronicinformation at only a limited rate, i.e., may have only a limitedbandwidth. This bandwidth limitation may be attributable to the slowestportion of the network communication system over which the electronicinformation is delivered. The bandwidth available to a particularapplication may be limited by other applications which aresimultaneously communicating information over the network communicationsystem and thus utilizing a portion of the total available bandwidth.

The network communication system 109 may be of any type. For example,the network communication system may consist of or include the internet,a local area network, and/or a wide area network. It may include wiredand/or wireless segments.

The information server computing system 107 may be of any type. Forexample, it may be one or more computers that are connected to theinternet and configured to function as a server. The server may beconfigured to deliver any type of electronic information, such as textfiles, image files, sound files, video files, and/or sound and videofiles. The system may be configured to download the information and/orto stream the information.

FIG. 2 illustrates an information server computer system. Theinformation server computer system illustrated in FIG. 2 may be used asthe information computer server system 107 illustrated in FIG. 1 or inconnection with a different system. Similarly, the information servercomputer system 107 may be different than the information servercomputer system illustrated in FIG. 2.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, an information server computer system mayinclude a network interface 201, an electronic data processing system203, and an information storage system 205 which may contain electronicimage information with different resolutions 207, electronic informationwith different text-to-image ratios 209, and/or electronic informationdelivery notices 211. The components of the information server computersystem may be at a single location or distributed across multiplelocations.

The network interface 201 may be configured to communicate with a clientcomputer system over a network communication system, such as the clientcomputer system 101, 103, and/or 105 and the network communicationsystem 109.

The network interface 201 may be of any type. It may include appropriateelectronic hardware and software configured to provide the necessarynetwork communications. The network interface 201 may include devicessuch as network interface cards (“NICs”).

The electronic data processing system may include computer hardware andsoftware configured to perform the functions recited herein. Theelectronic data processing system 203 may include one or more processorsand associated support chips, interface devices, including userinterface devices, application programs, and operating systems.

The network interface 201 may receive a request for electronicinformation from a client computer system. The request may arrive in anyform.

This request may, in turn, be passed on to the electronic dataprocessing system 203. In response, the electronic data processingsystem 203 may generate a request for an automated report of thebandwidth that is available for delivery of the electronic information.The electronic data processing system 203 may deliver this request tothe network interface 201 for delivery to the client computer system.This request may be in any form.

The network interface 201 may then receive an automated report of thebandwidth that is available for delivery of the electronic information.The word “automated” is intended to refer to a process in which thecontent of the automated report is supplied automatically by the clientcomputer system, without user input following receipt of the request forthe report.

This automated report may be in any form. For example, it may includeinformation specifying the bandwidth in bits per second, bytes persecond, by specifying the type of internet connection to the clientcomputer system (e.g., DSL or cable), by general language (e.g., high,medium, or low), and/or in any other form. This automated report may bedelivered by the network interface 201 to the electronic data processingsystem 203.

In response to the automated report, the electronic data processingsystem may select a form of the electronic information which issubstantially compatible with the bandwidth specified in the automatedreport from among multiple forms that are each compatible with adifferent available bandwidth. These multiple forms may be stored in theinformation storage system 205.

The information storage system 205 may be configured to store any typeof electronic information. It may include one or more non-transitory,tangible, electronic storage devices, such as one or more hard diskdrives, RAMS, ROMS, E-PROMS, and/or flash memories.

The electronic information may include image information. The imageinformation may be in the form of individual images and/or a sequence ofimages, such as frames of a motion picture. The information storagesystem 205 may store multiple versions of the same image information indifferent resolutions. For video streams, these different resolutionsmay be in the form of different bit rates. For still images, thedifferent resolutions may be in the form of a different number of pixelsfor each the image. The information may or may not be in a compressedformat.

The electronic data processing system 203 may select a version of theimage information that has a resolution that is substantially compatiblewith the bandwidth specified in the automated report from among thosethat are stored in the information storage system. If a small bandwidthis specified in the report, for example, the electronic data processingsystem 203 may select image information with a low resolution.Conversely, if a high bandwidth is specified in the report, imageinformation having a high resolution may instead be selected. Theelectronic data processing system 203 may then cause the networkinterface 201 to deliver the electronic information in the selected formto the client computer system.

The requested electronic information may in addition or instead includea mixture of text and image information, such as a web page containingboth text and images. The information storage system 205 may storemultiple forms of the requested information, each with a different ratioof text-to-image, such as the electronic information with differenttext-to-image ratios 209. The electronic data processing system 203 maythen select the version of the electronic information which has atext-to-image ration that is substantially compatible with the bandwidthspecified in the automated report. For example, if a low bandwidth isspecified in the report and the electronic information is a web pagewith both text and images, a version of the web page may be selectedthat has mostly text and few images. Conversely, if a high bandwidth isspecified in the report for the same electronic information, a versionof the web page may be selected which has numerous images and littletext.

In a still further example, a notice may be considered part of theelectronic information which is requested. Different versions of thesenotices may be compatible with different available bandwidths. Allversions of these notices may be stored in the information storagesystem 205 as the electronic image information delivery notices 211.

For example, if a low bandwidth is specified in the automated report,this may mean that it is reasonably likely that dropouts or otheradverse effects may be experienced during the delivery of the electronicinformation to the client computer system. In this event, the electronicdata processing system 203 may select a notice from the electronic imageinformation delivery notices 211 which informs the user of the clientcomputer system that delivery of the electronic information may sufferfrom dropouts or other adverse effects. Any type of words, images, orother information may be contained within the notice to communicate thisinformation.

On the other hand, if the bandwidth specified in the automated report ishigh, there may be no reasonable likelihood of dropouts or other adverseeffects during the delivery of the electronic information to the clientcomputer system. In this situation, the electronic data processingsystem 203 may deliver the electronic information without any notice orwith a notice advising that uninterrupted and error free delivery isanticipated. If a favorable notice is provided, it may again be selectedfrom the electronic image information delivery notices 211.

The electronic data processing system 203 may be configured torepeatedly cause the network interface 201 to request automated reportsof the bandwidth that is available for delivery of the electronicinformation and to receive from the network interface 201 each automatedreport which is provided by the client computer system in response. Thismay be done in recognition of the fact that the available bandwidth fora particular client computer system may change, possibly due to changesin the load on the network communication system and/or changes in thenumber and/or way in which other applications in the client computersystem are using the available bandwidth. In this situation, theelectronic data processing system 203 may, in response to eachsequential automated report which is received, select a form of theelectronic information which is substantially compatible with thebandwidth specified in the latest automated report. The electronic dataprocessing system 203 may then cause the network interface 201 todeliver the remaining portion of the electronic information in thelast-selected form to the client computer system.

For example, the electronic data processing system 203 may be causingthe network interface 201 to be delivering a streaming video to theclient computer system. The electronic data processing system 203 mayhave initially selected a version of this video with a resolution (e.g.,bit rate) which is compatible with the first-reported availablebandwidth. During delivery of this stream, however, a new bandwidthreport may indicate that the available bandwidth has changedsignificantly. In this situation, the electronic data processing system203 may select a different version of the same image information thatbetter matches the available bandwidth and to cause the networkinterface 201 to deliver this different version instead, beginning atthe point in time where the previous version was just cut off.

Any criteria may be used to control the timing of these repeatedrequests for automated bandwidth reports. For example, the electronicdata processing system 203 may be configured to request the automatedreports on a periodic basis. Other factors may in addition or instead beapplied, such as the type of network connection utilized by the clientcomputer system, feedback about problems the client computer system issuffering, and/or information from other sources.

FIG. 3 illustrates a client computer system. The client computer systemillustrated in FIG. 3 may function as the client computer system 101,103, and/or 105 illustrated in FIG. 1, or in connection with a differentsystem. Similarly, the client computer systems 101, 103, and/or 105 maybe different than the client computer system illustrated in FIG. 3.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the client computer system may include anetwork interface 301, an electronic data processing system 303, and aninformation storage system 305 which may contain available bandwidthinformation 307. The components of the client computer system may be ata single location or distributed across multiple locations.

The network interface 301 may be configured to communicate with aninformation server computing system over a network communication system,such as the information server computing system 107 and the networkcommunication system 109. The network interface 301 may be of any type.For example, the network interface may be a network interface card(“NIC”).

The electronic data processing system 303 may include computer hardwareand computer software configured to perform the functions recitedherein. The computer hardware may include one or more processors andsupporting chips, as well as one or more storage devices, such as one ormore hard disk drives, RAMS, ROMS, E-PROMS, and/or flash memories. Thesoftware may include one or more application programs, such as one ormore web browser programs, and one or more operating systems.

The information storage system may include one or more electronicinformation storage devices, such as one or more hard disk drives, RAMS,ROMS, E-PROMS, and/or flash memories.

The electronic data processing system 303 may cause the networkinterface 301 to deliver a request to an information server computingsystem for electronic information. The request may be for any type ofelectronic information and in any form. For example, the request may befor a web page, an image file (including a multimedia file), a textfile, streaming audio, streaming video, and/or streaming audio andvideo.

In response, the network interface 301 may receive a request from theinformation server computer system for an automated report of thebandwidth that is available for the delivery of the electronicinformation. In response, the electronic data processing system 303 maycause the network interface 301 to deliver an automated report of thebandwidth that is available for the delivery of the electronicinformation. This may be done without receiving user input relating tothe content of the automated report following receipt of the request forthe automated report.

To facilitate this, the available bandwidth may be stored in theinformation storage system 305 as available bandwidth information 307.This information may be in any form, such as in any of the formsdiscussed above in connection with the automated report received by theinformation server computer system in FIG. 2. For example, the availablebandwidth information 307 may specify the bandwidth in bits per second,bytes per second, by specifying the type of internet connection to theclient computer system (e.g., DSL or cable), by more general language(e.g., high, medium, or low), and/or in any other form.

The network interface 301 may then receive the requested electronicinformation in a form that is substantially compatible with thebandwidth specified in the automated report. This may be passed on tothe electronic data processing system 303 for further processing. Forexample, the electronic data processing system 303 may cause theelectronic information to be displayed in the form of images and/ortext, may cause any sound that is part of the electronic information tobe played over an audio system, and/or may cause the electronicinformation to be stored for further use.

The available bandwidth information 307 may be based on information fromany source. For example, it may be based on information specified by auser in any of the forms discussed above. It may in addition or insteadbe based on one or more bandwidth tests which are performed by theclient computer system. For example, the client computer system mayupload and/or download a file, while timing the operation, therebyobtaining data from which the available bandwidth can be determined.

The client computer system under the control of the electronic dataprocessing system 303 may be running multiple applicationssimultaneously, each one of which may communicate data over the networkcommunication system. In this situation, the available bandwidth mayhave to be shared among the applications. In this situation, theavailable bandwidth information 307 may separately indicate theavailable bandwidth for each application. When a request for anautomated report is received in response to a request by a particularapplication for electronic information, the automated report may bebased on the bandwidth that is available for that particularapplication, as specified in the available bandwidth information 307.

When running multiple simultaneous applications, the available bandwidthinformation 307 for each application may be determined by any means.Examples of such means are set forth in U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/829,869, entitled “Data Communication Device With IndividualApplication Bandwidth Reporting And Control,” filed Jul. 2, 2010, theentire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

Non-transitory computer-readable storage media may containcomputer-readable programming instructions which, when read and executedby a data communication device, may cause the electronic data processingsystems 203 and 303 to perform the functions recited herein.

The components, steps, features, objects, benefits and advantages whichhave been discussed are merely illustrative. None of them, nor thediscussions relating to them, are intended to limit the scope ofprotection in any way. Numerous other embodiments are also contemplated.These include embodiments which have fewer, additional, and/or differentcomponents, steps, features, objects, benefits and advantages. Thesealso include embodiments in which the components and/or steps arearranged and/or ordered differently.

For example, a server can have multiple sites with different bandwidths.One can be just text for extremely low bandwidth, and another can bebased on flash for high bandwidth. A server can ask the client toallocate more bandwidth if needed for an application.

Unless otherwise stated, all measurements, values, ratings, positions,magnitudes, sizes, and other specifications which are set forth in thisspecification, including in the claims which follow, are approximate,not exact. They are intended to have a reasonable range which isconsistent with the functions to which they relate and with what iscustomary in the art to which they pertain.

All articles, patents, patent applications, and other publications whichhave been cited in this disclosure are hereby incorporated herein byreference.

The phrase “means for” when used in a claim is intended to and should beinterpreted to embrace the corresponding structures and materials whichhave been described and their equivalents. Similarly, the phrase “stepfor” when used in a claim is intended to and should be interpreted toembrace the corresponding acts which have been described and theirequivalents. The absence of these phrases in a claim mean that the claimis not intended to and should not be interpreted to be limited to any ofthe corresponding structures, materials, or acts or to theirequivalents.

Nothing which has been stated or illustrated is intended or should beinterpreted to cause a dedication of any component, step, feature,object, benefit, advantage, or equivalent to the public, regardless ofwhether it is recited in the claims.

The scope of protection is limited solely by the claims which nowfollow. That scope is intended and should be interpreted to be as broadas is consistent with the ordinary meaning of the language which is usedin the claims when interpreted in light of this specification and theprosecution history which follows and to encompass all structural andfunctional equivalents.

The invention claimed is:
 1. An information server computer systemcomprising: a network interface configured to communicate with a clientcomputer system over a network communication system; and an electronicdata processing system configured to: receive a request for electronicinformation which the network interface has received from the clientcomputer system, the electronic information including a mixture of textand image information; in response to the request, cause the networkinterface to deliver a request to the client computer system tocalculate the bandwidth that is currently available for delivery of theelectronic information and to provide an automated report of thecurrently available bandwidth; receive the automated report of thebandwidth that is currently available for delivery of the electronicinformation which the network interface has received from the clientcomputer system; and in response to the automated report: select a formof the electronic information which is compatible with the bandwidthspecified in the automated report from among multiple forms that areeach compatible with a respectively different available bandwidth, theselected electronic information including a mixture of text and imageinformation from among multiple mixtures, the selected mixture of textand image information having a ratio of text-to-image informationcompatible with the bandwidth specified in the automated report; andcause the network interface to deliver the electronic information in theselected form to the client computer system.
 2. The information servercomputer system of claim 1 wherein the selection of the form of theelectronic information includes selecting the form of the combined textand image information in which the image information has a resolutionthat is compatible with the bandwidth specified in the automated reportfrom among multiple versions of the image information in the multiplemixtures of text and image information that are compatible with therespective different available bandwidths.
 3. The information servercomputer system of claim 1 wherein the selection of a form of theelectronic information includes: when the bandwidth specified in theautomated report is likely to result in dropouts or other adverseeffects during the delivery of the electronic information to the clientcomputer system, selecting a form of the electronic information thatincludes a notice that delivery of the electronic information may sufferfrom dropouts or other adverse effects; and when the bandwidth specifiedin the automated report is not likely to result in dropouts or otheradverse effects during the delivery of the electronic information to theclient computer system, selecting a form of the electronic informationthat does not include a notice that delivery of the electronicinformation may suffer from dropouts or other adverse effects.
 4. Theinformation server computer system of claim 1 wherein the electronicdata processing system is configured to repeatedly: cause the networkinterface to request and receive automated reports of the bandwidth thatis available for delivery of the electronic information; and in responseto each automated report: select a form of the electronic informationwhich is compatible with the bandwidth specified in the latest automatedreport from among multiple forms that are each compatible with adifferent available bandwidth; and cause the network interface todeliver the remaining portion of the electronic information in thelast-selected form to the client computer system.
 5. Non-transitory,tangible, computer readable media containing computer programminginstructions which, when executed by an information server computersystem having a network interface configured to communicate with aclient computer system over a network communication system and anelectronic data processing system, cause the electronic data processingsystem to: receive a request for electronic information which thenetwork interface has received from the client computer system, theelectronic information including a mixture of text and imageinformation; in response to the request, cause the network interface todeliver a request to the client computer system to calculate thebandwidth that is currently available for delivery of the electronicinformation and to provide an automated report of the currentlyavailable bandwidth; receive the automated report of the bandwidth thatis currently available for delivery of the electronic information whichthe network interface has received from the client computer system; andin response to the automated report: select a form of the electronicinformation which is compatible with the bandwidth specified in theautomated report from among multiple forms that are each compatible witha different available bandwidth, the selected electronic informationincluding a mixture of text and image information from among multiplemixtures that are each compatible with a respectively differentavailable bandwidth, the selected mixture of text and image informationhaving a ratio of text-to-image information compatible with thebandwidth specified in the automated report; and cause the networkinterface to deliver the electronic information in the selected form tothe client computer system.
 6. The computer readable media of claim 5wherein the selection of the form of the electronic information includesselecting the form of the combined text and image information in whichthe image information has a resolution that is compatible with thebandwidth specified in the automated report from among multiple versionsof the image information in the multiple mixtures of text and imageinformation that are compatible with the respective different availablebandwidths.
 7. The computer readable media of claim 5 wherein theselection of a form of the electronic information includes: when thebandwidth specified in the automated report is likely to result indropouts or other adverse effects during the delivery of the electronicinformation to the client computer system, selecting a form of theelectronic information that includes a notice that delivery of theelectronic information may suffer from dropouts or other adverseeffects; and when the bandwidth specified in the automated report is notlikely to result in dropouts or other adverse effects during thedelivery of the electronic information to the client computer system,selecting a form of the electronic information that does not include anotice that delivery of the electronic information may suffer fromdropouts or other adverse effects.
 8. The computer readable media ofclaim 5 wherein the computer programming instructions, when executed bythe information server computer system, cause the electronic dataprocessing system to repeatedly: cause the network interface to requestand receive automated reports of the bandwidth that is available fordelivery of the electronic information; and in response to eachautomated report: select a form of the electronic information which iscompatible with the bandwidth specified in the latest automated reportfrom among multiple forms that are each compatible with a differentavailable bandwidth; and cause the network interface to deliver theremaining portion of the electronic information in the last-selectedform to the client computer system.
 9. A client computer systemcomprising: a network interface configured to communicate with aninformation server computer system over a network communication system;and an electronic data processing system configured to: cause thenetwork interface to deliver a request to the information servercomputer system for electronic information, the electronic informationincluding a mixture of text and image information; receive a requestwhich the network interface has received from the information servercomputer system for an automated report of the bandwidth that isavailable for delivery of the electronic information; responsive to therequest, calculate the bandwidth that is currently available fordelivery of the electronic information and automatically cause thenetwork interface to deliver an automated report of the bandwidth thatis currently available for delivery of the electronic informationwithout receiving user input relating to the content of the automatedreport following receipt of the request for the automated report; andreceive the requested electronic information which the network interfacehas received from the information server computer system, wherein thereceived electronic information includes a mixture of text and imageinformation selected from multiple mixtures of text and imageinformation, the selected electronic information having a ratio oftext-to-image information that is compatible with the bandwidthspecified in the automated report.
 10. The client computer system ofclaim 9: further comprising an information storage system configured tostore information indicative of each bandwidth that is currentlyavailable for electronic information requested by a plurality ofsimultaneously-running user applications, the stored available bandwidthfor each user application being less than the total bandwidth that isthen available for electronic information requested by the clientcomputer system; and wherein the electronic data processing system isconfigured to: cause the network interface to deliver the request to theinformation server computer system for the electronic information whenrequested by one of the user applications; and cause the bandwidth thatis specified in the automated report to be the available bandwidth forthis one user application that is indicated in the information storagesystem.
 11. The client computer system of claim 9 wherein the bandwidthspecified in the automated report is less than the bandwidth which isavailable at the time of the automated report for delivery of theelectronic information to the client computer system.
 12. The clientcomputer system of claim 9 wherein the bandwidth specified in theautomated report is based on a bandwidth test of the client computersystem which is performed by the client computer system. 13.Non-transitory, tangible, computer readable media containing computerprogramming instructions which, when executed by a client computersystem having a network interface configured to communicate with aninformation server computer system over a network communication systemand an electronic data processing system, cause the electronic dataprocessing system to: cause the network interface to deliver a requestto the information server computer system for electronic information,the electronic information including a mixture of text and imageinformation; receive a request which the network interface has receivedfrom the information server computer system for an automated report ofthe bandwidth that is available for delivery of the electronicinformation; responsive to the request, calculate the bandwidth that iscurrently available for delivery of the electronic information andautomatically cause the network interface to deliver an automated reportof the bandwidth that is currently available for delivery of theelectronic information without receiving user input relating to thecontent of the automated report following receipt of the request for theautomated report; and receive the requested electronic information whichthe network interface has received from the information server computersystem, wherein the received electronic information includes a mixtureof text and image information selected from multiple mixtures of textand image information, the selected electronic information having aratio of text-to-image information that is compatible with the bandwidthspecified in the automated report.
 14. The computer readable media ofclaim 13 wherein: the client computer system includes an informationstorage system configured to store information indicative of eachbandwidth that is currently available for electronic informationrequested by a plurality of simultaneously-running user applications,the stored available bandwidth for each user application being less thanthe total bandwidth that is then available for electronic informationrequested by the client computer system; and the computer programminginstructions, when executed by the information server computer system,cause the electronic data processing system to: cause the networkinterface to deliver the request to the information server computersystem for the electronic information when requested by one of the userapplications; and cause the bandwidth that is specified in the automatedreport to be the available bandwidth for this one user application thatis indicated in the information storage system.
 15. The computerreadable media of claim 13 wherein the bandwidth specified in theautomated report is less than the bandwidth which the client computersystem can handle.
 16. The computer readable media of claim 13 whereinthe bandwidth specified in the automated report is based on a bandwidthtest of the client computer system which is performed by the clientcomputer system.